[Hotel Review] Chichibu: Heritage Minoyama Ryokan - いこいの村ヘリテイジ美の山

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

In addition to being famous in Japan for tourist spots such as the Mitsumine Shrine and the Shibazakura in Hitsujiyama Park, Chichibu is also a great place for people who want to experience a traditional Japanese ryokan hotel at half the price of what you would have to pay for if you visit Hakone. Recently I went to Chichibu with my fiancé and his family, and we had the pleasure of staying a night at the ryokan Ikou no Mura Heritage (いこいの村ヘリテイジ美の山).

Check availability for Heritage Minoyama Ryokan on Agoda.com. Free cancellation.

Activity Hotel - Free Activities Included in the Stay

While most ryokan offer just the stay we were impressed by all the activities this hotel offered us included in the price of the stay. We arrived on Saturday afternoon, just in time for their weekly mochi (traditional Japanese ricecake)-making event which took place in the lobby. After having seen a demonstration we even got to it out for ourselves. Some cute kids were watching eagerly as the hotel staff were preparing the mochi dough, and were literally jumping of happiness when they were told they could try it out themselves.

Hotel representative Mr. Yamamoto making mochi

I got to give it a go too

Time to taste!

We all got to try the freshly made mochi

At 8 in the evening, just before dinner, we were taken on a free guided tour to the top of Mt Minoyama (美の山) to see the stars. Unfortunately it was too clouded to see much, but our guide and hotel representative Mr. Yamamoto had more in mind for us. At the foot of the mountain we stopped by the Hijiri Jinja (聖神社) shrine, a shrine dedicated to Japan's first copper coin called Wadoh which is believed to have been manufactured in this area. It was very clear how found Mr. Yamamoto is of his home town, he told us a lot about the history of Chichibu and the great importance this area had had long before Edo (now Tokyo) was established.

In the morning we got up at 6 am for another free guided trip around Minoyama arranged by Mr. Yamamoto. He again took us to the top of the Minoyama mountain where this time we were lucky with the weather and got a beautiful view of Chichibu covered in what they call unkai (雲海) - a sea of clouds.

The hotel's shuttle bus

The hotel also arranges some seasonal trips such as a trip to see fireflies (from mid-June till the end of July) and a trip to see kouyou (red leaves) light up in November. All free trips can be reserved upon checkin.

Guest Rooms: Japanese & Western Style

During our stay at Heritage we had two different room types; a Western Style room and a Japanese style room. Both rooms were very spacious, not like the typical size you would expect from a Japanese hotel room. Here are some pictures of our rooms:

Western Style Room:

Japanese Style Room:

Amenities included for all rooms

Local Cuisine Dining:

We had dinner and breakfast included in our room plan, both with Japanese style food. With delicious local ingredients and dishes it sure was a deliciously unforgettable meal.

Hot Spring Onsen:

The hotel had one big hot spring onsen with great view of the forest and mountains surrounding the hotel. Here are some pictures from the hot spring:

Taken from hotel's page

We had an unforgettable stay at Heritage Minoyama, especially thanks to the dedication of the hotel staff. I'd like to visit Chichibu again in December for the Chichibu Night Festival and will most definitely consider staying at Heritage again.

Basic Info

Name of Hotel:	Ikoi no Mura Heritage (いこいの村ヘリテイジ美の山)
Star Rating:	★★★
Map
Location	① 4.4 km from Minano Station (皆野駅) ②13.8 km from Seibu-Chichibu Station (西武秩父駅)
Check in:	Check In From 3PM Check Out Until 10AM

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About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.

About Me

A modern-day shield-maiden who loves to explore the unbeaten paths of the world. From her base in Tokyo, Anette takes on both rural and urban challenges, and on her path, she has overcome anything from natural wilderness and cultural barriers to commuting in overcrowded Tokyo trains.

Life is too short to be stuck on one page, and this mindset reflects the diversity of Anette’s blog.
Besides being a career woman she is also a globetrotter, with 39 countries and counting.
No challenge too big, no adventure too small!

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